﻿North Carolina Legal Statutes: Fines and Fees Dataset - Version 1
https://doi.org/10.7910/DVN/XFUAN5


Description
This dataset contains detailed information about legal statutes in North Carolina and associated fines and fees. It includes specifics on the amounts, years of changes, and funds where the money was allocated. The data spans several years and is in raw format.


Collection Methodology
The data was collected from the Lexis Nexis State (now Lexis Uni) database. When additional information was needed, the North Carolina State code was also referred to. Statutes were downloaded from the Harvard Criminal Justice Debt Initiative website at: https://cjdebtreform.org/state/114  under data for all fines and surcharges. 66 fines and surcharges were identified in the original file from the Initiative. Through the research process, an additional two statutes were added to reflect the addition of a $600 fine for the following statutes: n.c. gen. stat. ann. § 7a-304(a)(9a) and n.c. gen. stat. ann. § 7a-304(a)(9b). These fines were associated with crime lab fees in 2017 for digital forensics.




Data Dictionary


Column Name
	Description
	Data Type
	state
	The state to which the statute applies (e.g., "North Carolina").
	String
	statute
	The legal statute number or code.
	String
	first_fee_year
	The first year when the fee associated with the statute was raised or changed.
	Integer
	fee_year1_amount
	The amount of the fee in the first year (specific amount, range, or "cost").
	Float/String
	...
	... (Additional columns for subsequent years when the fee was raised or changed, and the amounts.)
	...
	num_times_fee_raised
	The total number of times the fee was raised.
	Integer
	changes_between_1993_2008
	The number of changes to the fee between the years 1993 and 2008.
	Integer
	changes_after_2008
	The number of changes to the fee after the year 2008.
	Integer
	fund1, fund2, fund3, fund4
	Specific funds where money was allocated (e.g., codes or names representing the funds).
	String
	shorthand_info
	Shorthand or abbreviated information related to the statute.
	String
	description/statute_name
	Description or name of the statute.
	String
	statutory_language
	The specific legal language used in the statute.
	String
	amount
	The amount of the financial obligation, possibly including ranges or "cost."
	Float/String
	norm_amount
	The normalized or standardized amount of the financial obligation.
	Float
	type_of_financial_obligation
	The type or category of the financial obligation (e.g., "Fine," "Fee").
	String
	type_of_court
	The specific court or jurisdiction associated with the statute (e.g., "Supreme Court," "District Court").
	String
	level_of_offense
	The level or severity of the offense related to the statute (e.g., "Misdemeanor," "Felony").
	String
	mandatory
	Indicator of whether the fee is mandatory or optional (e.g., "Yes" or "No").
	String
	imposed_by
	The entity or authority that imposed the fee (e.g., "Legislature," "Court").
	String
	delegation_of_authority
	Details regarding the delegation of authority for imposing the fee.
	String
	notes
	Additional notes or comments related to the statute.
	String
	other_misc_notes
	Miscellaneous notes or details not captured elsewhere.
	String
	overall_notes
	General overall notes or summary information related to the statute.
	String
	



Data Processing
The following data processing steps were taken to prepare the raw data for analysis:
* * Handling Missing Values: Missing values in columns representing fee amounts, years, funds, and other attributes were filled with zeros to ensure completeness.
* * Data Type Conversion and Validation: Fee amounts were converted to numeric values where possible, and specific handling was applied for fees represented as ranges or "cost."


* Standardization of Categories and Codes: Columns such as "type_of_financial_obligation," "type_of_court," and "mandatory" were standardized to ensure consistency across different terms or codes.


* Date and Year Processing: Year columns were validated to ensure consistency and accuracy, and any anomalies were corrected.


* Text Preprocessing: Text columns like "statutory_language" and "description/statute_name"were preprocessed to remove extraneous spaces, correct typos, and standardize terminology.
* Normalization of Amounts: The "norm_amount" column involved transformations to standardize or normalize the fee amounts, making them comparable across different statutes or over time.


* Handling Special Cases: Specific methods were applied to handle special cases, such as fee amounts specified as "cost" or represented as a range (e.g., 100-1000).


* Quality Assurance and Validation: A thorough quality check was conducted to ensure that all transformations were applied correctly, and that the data was consistent and ready for analysis.


* Exporting and Formatting: The cleaned and processed data was exported to the desired format, preserving all data types and formats.


* Documentation: All processing steps, decisions, and methodologies were documented to ensure transparency and reproducibility.
* 

Intended Use
This dataset provides valuable insights into the legal statutes in North Carolina and the associated fines and fees. It is intended for use in the following areas:
* Legal Analysis: Researchers and legal professionals can analyze the trends and patterns in fee adjustments over time.
* Government Oversight: Regulatory bodies and policymakers can utilize this dataset to understand the allocation of fines and fees to various funds.
* Academic Research: Scholars in law, economics, and social sciences can use this dataset to study the implications of monetary sanctions in the legal system of North Carolina.
* Public Awareness: Journalists and advocacy groups can leverage this data to shed light on the legal and financial landscape of North Carolina.


Limitations
Users should be aware of the following limitations and caveats when using this dataset:
* Data Source: The dataset was collected from the Lexis Nexis State (now Lexis Uni) database and the North Carolina State code. Changes or inaccuracies in these sources may be reflected in the dataset.
* Handling of Ranges: Fee amounts represented as ranges were converted to an average value, which may not capture the full context of the fee structure.
* Missing Values: Missing values were filled with zeros, which may not always represent the underlying reason for the absence of data.
* Potential Inconsistencies: Despite efforts to standardize and validate the data, there may still be inconsistencies or errors that were not detected during the cleaning process.


Upcoming Version Notice:
Version 1 of the Dataset: The current dataset (Version 1) represents raw data related to legal statutes in North Carolina, focusing on fines, fees, and other monetary sanctions up to the year 2018.


A new version of this dataset is planned for release at the end of 2023. This updated version will include:
* Additional Financial Sanctions: The dataset will be expanded to include more types of financial sanctions, providing a more comprehensive view of the legal and financial landscape in North Carolina.
* Updates Beyond 2018: The data will be extended to cover the period from 2018 through 2023, reflecting more recent changes and developments in legal statutes, fines, and fees.
* Enhanced Data Processing: The new version may include additional data cleaning, validation, and transformation to make the dataset more user-friendly and ready for analysis.


Users interested in the most up-to-date and comprehensive view of legal statutes and monetary sanctions in North Carolina are encouraged to look for the new version when it becomes available.


Contact and Support: 
For inquiries about the dataset, future updates, or specific data needs, please contact: Dr. Tauheeda Yasin at: tauheeda.yasin@austin.utexas.edu and tauheeda.yasin@gmail.com


License
This dataset is made available under the CC BY 4.0 license.


Citation
Please cite this dataset using the following DOI: https://doi.org/10.7910/DVN/XFUAN5


Contact Information
For questions related to this dataset, please contact: Dr. Tauheeda Yasin at: tauheeda.yasin@austin.utexas.edu or tauheeda.yasin@gmail.com.




Changelog
* 2023-01-08: Readme file included.


Disclaimer: This Version 1 of the dataset is provided in its raw form and may contain inconsistencies, missing values, or other issues. Users are encouraged to apply appropriate data cleaning and validation procedures as needed for their specific research purposes. An updated and cleaned version of the dataset is planned for release at the end of 2023.


FAQs
* Q: How can this dataset be used to study trends in legal fines and fees over time?
   * A: This dataset provides detailed information on the amounts, years of changes, and funds associated with legal statutes in North Carolina. Researchers can analyze trends in fee adjustments, compare changes across different legal categories, and examine the impact of monetary sanctions on various social and legal aspects by linking to other economic and demographic data.


* Q: What specific legal statutes are covered in this dataset, and how are they categorized?
   * A: The dataset includes a wide range of legal statutes in North Carolina, categorized by type of financial obligation (e.g., "Fine," "Fee"), level of offense (e.g., "Misdemeanor," "Felony"), and type of court (e.g., "Supreme Court," "District Court"). The "statutory_language" column provides the specific legal language used in each statute.


* Q: How are fee amounts represented, especially when there are ranges or varying costs?
   * A: Fee amounts are represented as specific values, ranges, or "cost." In the raw format, ranges have been noted in columns. Further clearing will be needed for dealing with statutes that have not been averaged, Specific handling is applied to fees represented as "cost." Detailed information on the handling of these special cases can be found in the Data Processing section of the README file.


* Q: Can I use this dataset to examine the allocation of fines and fees to specific funds?
   * A: Yes, the dataset includes information on specific funds (e.g., "fund1," "fund2") where money was allocated. Researchers can analyze how fines and fees are distributed across different funds and understand the financial implications of legal statutes. In the state of North Carolina, not every legal statute indicates where specific revenue goes. For this dataset, we have only noted a “fund” when it was indicated in the code.


* Q: Are there any limitations or caveats I should be aware of when conducting legal or sociological research with this data?
   * A: The Limitations section of the README file outlines key considerations, such as handling of ranges, missing values, potential inconsistencies, and data source limitations. It is recommended to review this section to understand the context and constraints of the dataset.


* Q: Will there be updates or expansions to this dataset that include additional legal aspects or recent developments?
   * A: Yes, a new version of this dataset is planned for release at the end of 2023, including additional financial sanctions and updates beyond 2018 through 2023. This updated version will provide a more comprehensive view of the legal and financial landscape in North Carolina.


* Q: How can I collaborate or contribute to the dataset or inquire about specific legal research needs?
   * A: For collaboration, contributions, or specific inquiries related to this legal research, please contact Dr. Tauheeda Yasin at: tauheeda.yasin@austin.utexas.edu or tauheeda.yasin@gmail.com.
* * Q: Is the dataset suitable for interdisciplinary research, combining legal studies with other forms of analysis?
   * A: Absolutely! The dataset offers valuable insights into legal statutes, fines, and fees, and it can be used to explore sociological questions related to justice, as well as inequality, economic impact, and social behavior. It is a rich resource for interdisciplinary research that has the potential to bridge many disciplines including but not limited to sociology, economic, public policy, and critical analysis.